A team of four science students who dubbed themselves "Dead Weight" asked the UHL scientists for advice on their study of the environmental effects of lead wheel weights. Approximately 70,000 tons of lead is used each year to manufacture weights that are commonly used to balance tires, according to the Ecology Center.

Limnology supervisor Mike Schueller explains the job of a limnologist for the educational game created by the Hygienic Laboratory.

A shortage of some 250,000 workers is expected in the field of public health within 11 years, according to a report by the Association of Schools of Public Health. Contributing to that shortfall is the void expected in four years when one-fourth of the current public health workforce will be eligible to retire.

"Public health laboratories are an essential part of the ongoing commitment to protect the health and environment of Americans," said Hygienic Laboratory Director Christopher Atchison. "This grant will help us reach the next generation of scientists and, we hope, inspire them to join the public health workforce where their contributions will be increasingly needed."

To address that shortage, the Hygienic Laboratory is using the APHL grant to create "Did You See That? Pathways to a Career in the Public Health Laboratory." This DVD-based game features video clips from 14 laboratory scientists, preparedness experts and training personnel who explain their jobs, and the academic and career paths they took to achieve them.

"The unique thing about this project is that it is a tool that teachers can use in their classrooms to involve students in learning about different career options," said Beth Hochstedler, Hygienic Laboratory training and outreach coordinator. "It is important for the future of public health laboratories that students know about the many exciting opportunities that are available in our field."

The game is expected to be complete by May 2009, and will be distributed electronically by the Hygienic Laboratory and by the APHL. The video clips created for the game will be broadcast on YouTube™.

The "Did You See That" game and the public health laboratory videos is being created with the support of the APHL and Cooperative Agreement Number #U60/CD303019 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of CDC.